Unfortunately, listening is required if I'm going to be a leader. The sheep will come to me for guidance and I can't exactly tune them out even though I really really want to.

There are a few things that help us doggies listen better. Luckily for you, I'm working on my sharing skills too. Rrrruff!

How to get your dog to listen to you

First I need to make sure I understand what someone is saying. Renza mommy is the worst when it comes to talking to us doggies. I have to listen to sentences that make no sense.

"Are you hungrys my doeboes?" and "Go sleepies my babas" aren't exactly used by everyone. That is where most of my understanding of language comes from. I'm good to listen and understand a 2-year-old at this level.

Buffy and I sniffing in our garden

Luckily there are other people that talk properly in the human house and loads of visitors come to visit just to play with me. I love running through the rain puddles and greeting them.

With my limited vocabulary skills, no thanks to Renza mommy, I'm getting good at reading body language and voice tones.

Some more sniffing

Like when someone's voice tone goes up while I'm busy making paw patterns on their clothes, I know they love my artwork. Mommy's voice always goes up when she gets all excited when Buffy and I show off our playing skills.

I'm assuming it's the same for everyone. They get all weird after that though. It's just water humans! Mixed with wet dog paws. If only they would stand still and not move so much while I'm busy using them as a canvas.

Mommy uses the words "stop it" a lot. It's accompanied by her trying to take away whatever I was playing with. Or at least trying to. I'm stronger and faster than her.

I'm guessing "stop it" means let me take away your fun. I thought for a while stop it was my last name because she always says "Fluffy, stop it!", but now I know better.

Buffy knows a lot of words and body language signals but he's not a very good listener. Must be his super large floppy fluffy ears too.

Mommy must show him with actions or hand signals accompanied by words so he knows what he must do. Poor Buffy had to listen to her wayyy longer than I had to.

No wonder he hates listening! It's like she created a language of her own and assumes us doggies automatically know it. Use proper words human!

Snowy doing everything mommy says

Snowy actually listens, but then again he was raised by a normal human. Mommy is shocked that he does whatever she says and Buffy thinks twice or even thrice before doing something. Sometimes he just refuses!

Buffy refusing to listen to me

I always have to do tricks for treats. Renza calls it "workies for foodies". I'm sure that's not how you say it.

Come to think of it, when Buff and I smell or see food, our ears automatically pop open. Don't ask me how. It's one of those built-in doggie things. Listening is easier when food is involved. Feed me human!

If you talk to me without food in your hand my ears automatically close. This is unavoidable. It's a simple equation to remember.

Food = Open ears

No food = Closed ears

On second thought, I think I need to add tummy rubs as an important variable for listening.

20 minute tummy rubs + food = open ears + half asleep listening

It's up to the human to accept the deal or not. Otherwise, I don't really mind continuing on my destructive path and destroying everything in sight.

Buff is already on board and helps me with much-needed renovations. It's a lot of work though. I think it's time to recruit Snowy!